Mission Statement

The general mission of the Department of Curriculum and Instruction is to advance knowledge of, and professional practice in, teaching and learning. The mission is discharged through faculty activities in teaching, public service, and scholarship. These functions should not be seen as separate, but interdependent in the sense that excellence in any one area depends upon excellence in the other two.

Teaching

The Department offers programs of undergraduate preparation for students to enter educational careers in schools and other agencies; master's level work to enhance professional skills and pursue scholarship in greater depth; and doctoral level work to develop competence as a research scholar. The graduate program focuses on five areas of research:

Public Service

Faculty members participate in public service at the local, state and national level. This includes in-service programs for teachers; consulting with schools and other agencies on matters of curriculum development; assisting teachers with supervisory work; coordinating state-wide professional activities; assisting in cooperative research and evaluation; consulting with state, national, and international agencies; serving in professional organization; and teaching special off-campus courses for university credit. Often these activities are undertaken in response to specific requests from school districts, professional organizations, public agencies, or individual teachers.

Scholarship

Faculty scholarship examines problems of curriculum and instruction and issues in the preparation of educational personnel for schools and other agencies. Scholarship includes historical, analytic, and conceptual studies to clarify issues; empirical research examining effects of educational practice; and normative studies that recommend policy and practice in the field.